


Fruit Tart

by metalmaddog



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 03:13:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10845306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/metalmaddog/pseuds/metalmaddog
Summary: Ser Grinnaux, Paulecrain and Ser Guerrique take little Ser Adelphel drinking and things go... mostly as expect for the former three while Ser Adelphel ends up contemplating his feelings for his dearest brother.





	Fruit Tart

It was Ser Adelphel’s twenty-first birthday. The strawberry blonde Knight was sitting at the special place on the end of their dining table and the table itself was covered with delicious foods from sausages to Heavenly Eggnog. Everyone was busily eating whatever they deemed their favourite including Adelphel himself who had claimed the whole pie consisting of strawberries and blueberries swimming in rich crème sauce to himself. It had always been his favourite dish especially when Janlenoux made it and he just could not get enough of it. He had even skipped most of the actual food just to look deliriously happy while stuffing the pie in his mouth: some of it kept sticking to his cheeks and occasionally Janlenoux had to wipe his face with a napkin.  
The chef himself was looking quite happy sitting next to Adelphel and telling him it was one of those days that he could really just eat what he pleased but with a sigh added that he hoped his brother would not get a stomach ache just filling up with sweets. “Perhaps mine dearest brother would try these chocobo legs marinated in wine?” But as soon as he actually looked at the plate he discovered there was barely any left, since Ser Grinnaux, Ser Paulecrain and Ser Guerrique were holding one in each hand and having some sort of ridiculous eating contest: they kept stuffing food down their gullet at such speed that the more picky eaters like Ser Charibert and Ser Noudenet were left quite without certain dishes. Not that the latter was terribly picky but he tended to have his mind always somewhere else until his stomach started to rumble in the middle of the night and he came down to raid the pantry.   
Zephirin had left moments earlier and now returned to whisper in Janlenoux’ ear that the Archbishop wished to see him because there was a surprise present he wanted to give their youngest and so very battle decorated member. He cast a worried look at Adelphel not wishing to leave him alone on such a day but the pie was keeping him busy. Despite him not usually eating quite as messy as Grinnaux or Paulecrain he seemed to have been too long without his favourite dish. And had now managed to get some of the blueberry jam on his face. Their chef took his chin, Adelphel cast his large innocent eyes questioningly up at his companion, and then Janlenoux wiped his face with his thumb putting the stuff absently into his own mouth. Adelphel laughed a little and perhaps showed a faint blush.   
“It’s the very best, brother. Full glad am I to eat it after so many moons. Thank you!” The blue haired elezen couldn’t help blushing at this even further and rubbed the back of his neck.  
“Ah, I wished my favourite brother to have the best birthday. But if you would excuse us now, Ser Adelphel.” Janlenoux bowed and reluctantly went along with their Archimandrite.   
He was indeed in the right mind to worry since Ser Grinnaux came up with an excellent plan, at least according to his two companions, sometime after they had gone.   
“We should make a man out of you Adelphel. You are most certainly old enough and it won’t do you any good to stay so foolishly innocent.” At this Guerrique turned his face away though and looked terribly embarrassed, at least he had grown good at hiding it. It was not like he had been much less innocent at Adelphel’s age but it made him wonder if Grinnaux had ever been innocent at all even as a child. The idea made him forget about feeling inferior, and just made him laugh out loud at the ridiculous idea. He received a glance from the other warrior but no comments or questions, thank Halone, since he was not very tactful and often tended to just blurt out what was on his mind.   
“Eh? I am not quite that… that innocent…” Adelphel said not entirely sure what Grinnaux was talking about or how to address such matter. “I’ve seen battle and I am highly decorated, Ser Grinnaux…” It seemed like he was about to go explaining why he was totally so very, very adult like any young man would but Grinnaux just grunted at him to be quiet.   
“I am talking about taking you to a bar. That’s where the real men are… the real soldiers. None of those fancy high house brats who have barely seen battle. These are real fighters: who’ve lost limbs and you know… their mind in some cases too. You need to meet these kind of men to understand battle at all!”   
“Sounds an awful lot like you, Ser Grinnaux… that part…” Guerrique pointed out trying to keep a straight face but got hit harshly on the back of his head for not remembering to keep his comments to himself.  
“Be quiet! Just because I am not missing any limbs doesn’t mean I am not just as good fighter as those common soldiers! Even better I would say, since I am not! Besides he is missing an eye.” Grinnaux motioned with one big hand towards his white haired companion then reached out to pet Paulecrain’s cheek in a condescending manner though it probably was not intended so.   
“Ah, I am extremely sorry Ser Grinnaux, do forgive me. For a moment there my mind let the fact slip that you two inhabit the same body…” Ser Guerrique’s infamous habit of riling up Ser Grinnaux was an everyday occurrence at the Vault and also the consequences of it. This time he was rewarded with an iron pot, full of hot sausages, on his head. But then it was an excellent thing that his temperament was the complete opposite of that of Grinnaux, and he merely took one large sausage and started chewing on it, under the pot. “Please excuse me, brother.” He said without an ilm of sarcasm audible in his voice but never the less suffered a mild ringing in his ears for the rest of day because Grinnaux had brought his fist down onto the kettle.  
“I, uh…” Adelphel eyed the three and was unable to really see reason why he shouldn’t have gone with them, perhaps an older and wiser man would have come to the opposite conclusion. He wanted to hear the war stories and meet these common soldiers, of course he had some encounters with them before but dutiful sons who were good in battle were quickly promoted in House Durendaire so he had hardly spent time with the more common rabble of fighters. And like any boy he always wished to be a man like those above him and currently it was obviously Ser Grinnaux, even if he somewhat thought Zephirin was a better role model but surely Grinnaux could teach him things Zephirin could not, about alcohol consumption, for example, because he seemed to be an expert at it. It was also something any young boy of that era would have envied as an adult thing they would not be able to do until they became a man like their fathers, uncles and older brothers. Ser Adelphel, despite his cherub looks, was very keen on becoming a man, a real man.   
So off they went towards the Forgotten Knight. Adelphel between Grinnaux and Paulecrain who were giving him important tips about how to behave with the poorer people: because it did not do to behave like he usually did.   
“These people are really very common, former poor, former soldiers, former rich, too, and such… they don’t know or like fancy words so try not to use them. Honour is irrelevant to them, also… think about it… would you care for honour if starving and penniless? I think not.” Ser Grinnaux, for once, was saying things that Adelphel, oddly enough, understood. Even if he put a great deal of importance in honour, truth and faith. He would not fight an unarmed man and would not attack anyone without making his intentions clear but obviously there were things that required you to put your honour aside to survive. Ser Guerrique was listening quietly and eating the last of his sausages which he had found inside his shirt.   
Usually the Forgotten Knight had no seats for patrons due to the simple fact that most of the folk there tended to end up in conditions where they liked to use them for weapons. Ser Grinnaux however went and demanded they get a few seats and then they took the best table by the fire: unlike what most of the poor and common soldiers would have really been able to do. A foaming pint of beer was the first thing presented to Adelphel by a rather pretty barmaid: there were two, an elezen girl and a midlander, the other was far more common looking. She gave him a dazzling smile, however she clearly knew the other three much better and barely managed to lift the corners of her mouth for them.  
“Harlot…” Paulecrain mumbled after her and proceeded to drink his beer. The three older men downed theirs in one go. Adelphel glanced at them, then back to his own and then again back at them. He was getting such expectant looks that soon he had to place both of his hands on the mug then slowly raised it to his lips: only to end up spluttering since the foam came up his nose. He got laughed at but this fuelled his determination to show them and he took a big gulp. The golden liquid flowed down not only his mouth and throat but also his chin. He had to set it down and wiped his face carefully with a white handkerchief. He saw Grinnaux roll his eyes at this and quickly tugged the piece of cloth back into his sleeve. But the taste had been surprisingly delicious.  
“The taste is most excellent, my brothers. I will certainly have more!” He said cheerfully already starting to feel a warm glow spreading inside him. What a great feeling it gave, too. He continued to drink until he had quite finished his mug and let out a rather small and effeminate burp. “Ah, do excuse me! The ale was awfully bubbly!” But when the three others just laughed and cheered him he became little more relaxed and laughed sweetly with them.   
More variety of drinks were ordered but some of them the older men kept to themselves making Adelphel stick to his beer. They allowed him a sip from something that to his mind had quite a heretical name as it was called Dragon piss but he did not even enjoy the taste. A little later he saw Grinnaux and Guerrique down quite a few in their need to compete with one another. They were soon enough joined by some other soldiers and everyone was telling tales of their greatest fights, hunts they had bagged or exceptional beauties they had conquered and then bedded. The latter kind of stories made Adelphel study the bottom of his mug very intensely while his cheeks turned even redder than the alcohol had already made them.   
Adelphel was at his third beer and feeling quite pleasant: laughing at Grinnaux’ or Guerrique’s stupid remarks, the latter’s usually about the former, and the crude, often even disgusting stories the soldiers were telling about taking a leak on dragon corpse or making heretics eat dragon meat. He was usually such an attentive boy when it came to women, as he was well taught to respect females but he barely noticed the few that had joined them. Somehow the men were holding his attention and he couldn’t really pull his eyes from them.   
Especially when Grinnaux got to the point in his drunkenness where he began shedding his outer garments then proceeded to the under garments. Adelphel stared in shock, especially when it appeared there was no need to remove the under garments: due to the Bull not wearing any, but he was quite unsure how to react to this and merely let out a small laugh. Then he suddenly realised a girl had leaned close and was whispering things in his ear: things which poor drunk young boys might not always understand. So he gave her a quick look and an innocent drunken smile and continued to stare at Grinnaux who indeed had stripped all his clothes off and was happily laughing now about his new found freedom. Paulecrain seemed to have trouble standing up as he went after his naked warrior but managed eventually to catch him. Everyone was laughing so much at them and having such a great time that Adelphel could nary see anything terrible about the situation.   
Grinnaux climbed on the bar counter and looked like he was about to start singing something but Paulecrain was having none of that and dived on him: they both fell behind the counter, even bigger sound of laughter was filling the whole bar and lot of people were starting to dance and gather into their private groups. Adelphel glanced around spotting a couple near the fireplace: he stared until to his horror the man moved and he could see the girl with one of her breasts out. He quickly turned away with his face red as a Dzemael tomato. He couldn’t think of anything else than to quickly down whatever was in his mug. After this things got a little hazier for him.   
Meanwhile Grinnaux and Paulecrain got themselves thrown out along with The Bull’s clothes. Out of habit Guerrique wandered outside with them. Luckily he had remembered to snatch a bottle of brandewine from a nearby table before following behind Grinnaux and Paulecrain: he kept rubbing his ears since they were still ringing. Paulecrain didn’t look much more present but his one heated eye was fixed on Grinnaux’ ass. Suddenly the lancer seemed to remember to go pick up the Dzemael son’s clothing from the snow, but this was clearly a rather bad move since Grinnaux happily galloped into the snowstorm that was picking up. It did not seem to bother him that it was freezing cold, neither was it really bothering the other two Knights, but at least the two had their clothes on.  
“Oh… he… he is getting away!” Guerrique mumbled drunkenly and pointed his hand in the general direction of the dark skinned warrior. They both ran after him and gladly all ended up in the same place below the Vault steps. Grinnaux was staring up at the large building and humming some dirty bar song under his breath while swinging around.   
“Hey, hey… aren’t you cold? Here.” Guerrique offered the bottle and the dark skinned man took a long swig. Paulecrain tried to raise the topic of putting on some clothes but Grinnaux took none of that just dashed up and inside. It was somewhat later that they found themselves on the roof and no one seemed to quite have the memory of where they had even been trying to get to with the elevator but it had not probably been the roof.   
“Oi, brot… brothersss!” Grinnaux declared suddenly with a triumphant look while the other two tried to stand to attention of some kind and stare at his face instead of his naked middle region. Somehow it just ended up looking like they were saluting the Bull’s tail, which was, of course, a perfectly good thing to salute to considering it was the appropriate size for a big elezen man like Grinnaux. “We shaaall gouu arishipcrusing!” Paulecrain glanced at Guerrique and for a moment something nagged at the back of their very one track, drunken, minds but in unison they cheered at Grinnaux’ suggestion because it seemed like a plan that they could not possibly pass. Halone had clearly stepped out to borrow sugar from a neighbouring god when she was not planning to interfere with her subjects’ brilliant plans. Not one brain cell was awake between the three of them and half probably drowned and dead in alcohol.   
They cheerfully staggered to the airship and spend a good while arguing about how to get it started before Grinnaux took the helm and tried to steer it away from the dock but it merely lurched a little before coming to abrupt stop that send the two other Knights, who were not holding onto anything, all over the deck.   
“What’s this what’s this? Why isn’t this swiving big donkey cart moving?!”  
“Give it some more gas, mine brother?” Suggested Guerrique, sitting up and gently petting his bottle that had luckily not broken when he tumbled. “As… as you always do… my brother Gurrinnaush… esteemed brother of the Heabensh Bard.” Guerrique staggered up but this time leaned onto the railing.   
“Bard?” Paulecrain squinted his eyes at the other white haired man.   
“Ah… I do wish, mine brothers, we had some bards on board this this… holies… holiest of vessehls! Music is the… the… what be music, brothers?!” He began to shout when Grinnaux was really pushing all the chocobo power of the engine.  
“Mmm… foolish nuisance?” Paulecrain suggested darkly. He was a strange drunkard as he often did not become any more talkative than he already was but he did not seem to be much happier either. Thoughtfully Guerrique shook his head but then there was a snap and they moved to the opposite direction with much force. This time the drunkards did not fall to the other side of the ship despite it tipping dangerously. Grinnaux managed to steer it straight and onwards and there was much rejoicing.   
“Where in blazes are we going? I can’t see!” Grinnaux wiped his face when snow was hitting them a little harder up there. Paulecrain snatched the bottle from Guerrique who quite weakly protested then brought it to Grinnaux lips and somehow managed to get some drops into his mouth. “Look what you made me do?! Stupid dog… I am all wet.” Grinnaux let go of the rudder just so he could discipline Paulecrain but this caused the ship to dive dangerously towards the right and send all three tipsy passengers flying onto the side railing, which prevented any of them from reaching the steering mechanisms. Paulecrain managed to pull Grinnaux towards himself while Guerrique had to fend for himself.  
“You swiving whorsesons and milksops, what is this?!”   
The wooden vessel creaked dangerously when it got tossed by the air and suddenly a loud crash woke them up a little to have enough sense for Paulecrain to at least tie Grinnaux to the ropes hanging on the side railings. The axe wielders were both just crying in very manly voices as they went through something that made a sharp tingly noise and rained glass around them before the ship seemed to land, again fell to the other side as it was on ground and couldn’t stand straight on a surface like that. The whole journey ended when the large vessel ran into a stone wall decorated with large open windows. There was dust, glass and something like blood droplets floating in the air.   
“What… where? What… happened?” Guerrique sat up some way from the ship and rubbed his usually straight and silken hair but this time it was messy and even bloody. “Uuh…” Stupidly he stared at his own hand not quite understanding what was going on. “What are these…bloody red flowers?” He reached out to swat at them.   
Paulecrain tried to muster all his strength and climb up over the railing to sit on top of it so he wouldn’t have to hang from it but unfortunately he was still intoxicated and ended up falling on his head against the railing that was closer to the ground, and the way the ship was lying on its side, also below him. He cursed quietly but that was all he said. There seemed to be bigger concerns as he looked up to Grinnaux who had gone all limp and was hanging from the ropes Paulecrain had tied him to but he did not seem badly hurt anywhere. There were bleeding gushes on all of them from the glass ceiling above that had broken when they came through it.   
“I… I am… speechless…” Once the dust had settled it had also revealed Ser Zephrin, Ser Charibert and Ser Janlenoux standing quite close to where Guerrique was. Only the last of the three was wearing his clothes while Zephirin and Charibert where in their official Heavens’ Ward nightgowns: the latter’s more effeminate and sexier. Zephirin was staring in utter amazement at the scene not even realising his feet were starting to bleed from glass shards since he had forgotten his Knightly nightly uniform’s matching slippers. Ser Charibert on the other hand was looking just as dangerous in the night gown, with lace decorations on the edges and the ward emblem over the breast. The gown was slowly moving in the wind and his hair was hanging freely around his head.   
“You… you… little whoresons… you three are a bigger menace than the dragons! Who will explain this to his Eminence?! One of you intelligent lot?! Look at this mess! We are the mercy of the elements here. You are worse than the heretics! I should burn your worthless brains in your skulls because you don’t seem to be using them! The punishment you will receive will be the worst one in your lives and you will not be walking for days!” Zephirin just looked speechless at the scene and let Charibert rant on. He just didn’t know what to do.  
“But… where is Ser Adelphel?” Janlenoux cried out suddenly with his face whiter than usual. He had been looking around but could not see his companion anywhere.  
“H… he… was with us?” Guerrique was sobbing while Charibert was beating him over the head with his cane now. “I… don’t think… please forgive us Ser Charibert… it is quite painful… I beg you to stop this.” He tried to shield his head with his hands but just ended up a sobbing ball on the ground.   
“Someone get Ser Grinnaux down, please.” Zephirin asked looking around at the other Knights who had shown up. None had even time to react when the very furious Ser Charibert, dying to burn at least one of them, whipped his Widowbreaker to the direction of The Bull and sent a rather large fireball in his direction. Paulecrain looked pained when it hit Grinnaux who did wake up to cry out in pain but it also scorched the rope and made him fall. Not knowing what else to do to save his master Paulecrain tried to catch him though only ended up squished under the heavier man and burned by his clothes still on fire. But none of the pain they had experienced so far in their lives would prepare them for the punishment Ser Charibert delivered the next day.  
Janlenoux, on the other hand, was heading down towards the Forgotten Knight after they had established that Ser Adelphel had really not been with the three scoundrels. He had already been worried when he had heard Adelphel had gone with them but figured it was nothing he could talk the younger man out of so he had decided not to follow. He hoped that the voice of reason, which both young men’s parents had firmly lodged into their skulls, would prevent him from doing anything as stupid as the older Knights just had. Perhaps he should be glad Adelphel was safe at the inn and not going to get punished by Ser Charibert. Neither of them had ever done anything to make the former inquisitor mad at them and both were generally called ‘good boys’ by their companions in the Ward. They both had always taken great pride in good behaviour and being respectful towards their elders and superiors: along with being a valiant soldier who followed their orders to the letter. Sometimes he did wonder if there was more to life than fighting: though he would not have confessed it to anyone else than Adelphel, sometimes Janlenoux thought he would have preferred being a chef but there were hardly any choices when there was always Ishgard to defend and he had always been impressed with Adelphel’s skills and had greatly admired him on the field. He was such a bright presence, such a caring and capable fighter: it had always looked to Janlenoux that hope, beauty and light were entirely physical beings when Adelphel brought them with him where ever he went: even to the dark impossible battles. He wanted to always stand next to a man like that and wanted Adelphel to rely on him even with his life.  
Even though it was quite late, perhaps it was more accurate to say early morning, the Forgotten Knight was still open and a ew of the more stubborn and older drinkers were still around: most others had gone home or taken a room at the inn. Janlenoux welcomed the warmth when he entered and dusted the snow from his clothing. He had hardly been inside the establishment and the putrid smell now hit his sensitive nose. He made a face but tried to endure. A tired looking elezen barmaid was standing around near the fire half asleep.   
“Please forgive my intrusion on your privacy, my lady.” Though he was not quite sure if she was much of a lady judging by how loosely she wore her shirt and how much of bare skin was revealed between her breasts. Such things Janlenoux did not terribly care for and averted his eyes quickly.   
“Mmm, hardly a lady, ser. How may I help ya?” She laughed a little and much too loudly.  
“Umm… I was merely looking for someone, mayhap you know him, Ser Adelphel… he has beautiful…” There wasn’t much need to go on as the girl waved him quiet.  
“Oohh yeah the pretty lad. He took a room with Cinny.” She pointed towards the direction of the rooms.   
“Cinny?” Janlenoux’ face was going white again and his heart had jumped in his throat. It couldn’t be true? He didn’t believe such things but feeling chilly all over as if he had spent too much time in Ser Haumeric’s company he asked for the specific room before going through the doors on the side. There were only a few rooms there. He opened the door he had been instructed to and stepped in only to find it was pitch black. The waitress had followed with a light, though, and from behind Janlenoux shone it towards the bed.  
“Is that yar mate?” She asked. It was the first time in his life he felt there was nothing good about having light: darkness would have been better, it would have hidden the repulsive sight of Adelphel laying shirtless in bed with an equally unclothed female Hyur. Janlenoux quickly swallowed and turned around. He had to get away from there.   
“Ah, no, it is not him. Please excuse me!” At that moment he was not able to care about pleasantries or being polite to women. He ran out of the room, up the inn stairs and outside before falling on his knees into the snow. This was worse than anything that could have possibly happened. Let alone that it was strictly forbidden and a sinful act for a Knight of the Heavens’ Ward but even more so Janlenoux felt he had been utterly betrayed personally. He had always thought… always thought that despite how Adelphel was around women he didn’t actually have that kind of interest in them. It had been exactly for that reason he got along with them so well and why they kept finding him so utterly wonderful and worthy of falling for. He had always thought they were beyond similar friends: brothers and perhaps even more. He had always hoped that but perhaps he had simply been naïve and childish.   
He willed himself to think of something else: anything else, like the recipe of Priestly Omelette which he often had to make since it was Ser Haumeric’s favourite food. Then he proceeded to remind himself of Heavenly Eggnog though he was prone to cooking that so often that it did not even seem like a mental dilemma of any kind to remember the recipe. Finally he reached the Vault and proceeded to his own private corner where he knew hardly anyone would bother him and began to sob in earnest.   
The breakfast in the Vault dining room was very quiet that morning since Grinnaux, Paulecrain and Guerrique were missing; probably still serving their punishment. Adelphel had come home several hours earlier but found he couldn’t really sleep because his head hurt, so instead he had bathed and now had arrived in the dining hall to see if there was anything he could eat. He really didn’t feel very good and hoped Janlenoux would be able to help. He was also trying his hardest to forget he had woken up in a bed with a naked girl though he himself had his pants still on and he was quite sure, though not entirely positive, that nothing had happened and he tried to insist that it was so. He had never found a woman sexually attractive, besides his little Brightblade had felt perfectly unused and unsoiled. He simply put his trust in fate and firmly believed that Halone would not allow such things to happen even when one was not in control of one’s own actions.   
“Where is Janlenoux?” He asked sitting down next to Ser Ignasse and Ser walking-library Noudenet, who had his side of the table filled with books and papers as usual. No one had brought him any breakfast, which indicated at least three people were missing from the breakfast table. Adelphel looked around and indeed did not see Ser Guerrique or Ser Haumeric either. Also did it feel unusually cold? He rubbed his arms.  
“Oh, it seems everyone is quite busy this morning. I know not where he has gone to.” Ignasse shook his head with a sigh.   
“Is it just me… Ser Ignasse but… but does it not seem unusually breezy in here?”  
“The winter garden roof has been destroyed, although worry not it was not an attack of maliciousness, simply of stupidity.” He looked tired but gave a small smile to the room in general and Vellguine who was sitting next to Ignasse smiled a little while looking at the blonde lancer.   
“It seems our troublesome lads stole an airship last night and crashed in through the garden roof. They have Dzemael men working on it as fast as they can.” Vellguine continued after the younger man then proceeded to eat again.  
“I am afraid the garden is wholly lost, though.” Ignasse sounded quite sad as he spoke.  
“Ahh! It’s terrible!” Adelphel cried but then covered his mouth. “I… am saddened to hear this. I do hope our esteemed brothers are quite alright.” He just got a shrug from Ignasse as reply who simply added that Ser Charibert took care of them. Adelphel rubbed his forehead then looked over at Noudenet. He quickly got up and fetched him some breakfast. “Here you go, Ser Noudenet. Please eat something.” He said kindly but only received a puzzled look as reply then the other young man went to his books again, however when Adelphel was leaving the room he noticed the older boy chewing on some bread he had brought. He really wasn’t at all hungry but he wanted to see Janlenoux.   
The little kitchen that was reserved just for Janlenoux was simply deserted. Usually he at least prepared some breakfast dishes for King Thordan even if not for the whole staff of the building but it seemed like nothing had been done this morning as it was spotless. Adelphel looked around called for Janlenoux but there was no answer, although he did hear rustling from the pantry but figured it was probably a rat. He was about to leave when he heard a cry from the pantry and had to go and flung open the small double doors. There on the floor sat Janlenoux with a bowl of chocolate that he was eating and looking wretched. He almost dropped the whole thing when Adelphel entered. They stared at each other for a moment then Adelphel kneeled down.   
“My brother… why… are you hiding in here? You…” He reached out to touch Janlenoux’ reddened cheeks but then quickly pulled his hand away blushing furiously. He had to look away. “Excuse me… I did not mean to touch you so inappropriately.” The taller man looked little odd and only after a moment turned away with a hurt expression.  
“Why did you… do it?” A broken voice came out of the paladin’s chest. He closed his eyes quickly, set down the bowl and swallowed before Adelphel quite understood what he was talking about. “Please excuse my state, Ser Adelphel, but I witnessed… with mine own eyes you committing a sinful act.” Janlenoux buried his face into his hands and groaned.   
“Witnessed…?” Adelphel’s voice was shaking but as soon as he realised this he quickly grabbed Ser Janlenoux’ arm. “Please have faith, my brother. I did not engage in any sinfulness with her, we merely slept. Your eyes must have deceived you. I would never betray my calling… nor you… my dearest… brother.” The last words were spoken very softly and were barely audible.   
“You did not…?” The blue haired man looked up this time he leaned forward looking almost hopeful and put both of his hands on the blonde boy’s cheeks but as soon as their eyes met, so close he suddenly began to doubt again. “No… no, I know that which I saw. Please… go pray for your soul, mine brother, ask for Halone’s forgiveness in the least.” And with that Janlenoux stood up and pushed past Adelphel and walked out.  
“I… but… I am sure I did not…” The young Knight sobbed to the thin air and perhaps the few rats that were brave enough to settle into the Vault pantry.  
He sat there for a long time simply thinking of Janlenoux and how important his friend was to him. They had been together since very early age: practicing and playing around. Their families were close and similar in many ways, especially the values they had been taught. There was no one quite like Janlenoux for him but sometimes he wasn’t sure if their relationship was simply pure friendship. Sometimes he watched Ser Grinnaux and Ser Paulecrain and wondered if the bond they shared could be similar to himself and Janlenoux. No matter how innocent he was he was still, at least he was aware what sex was and he knew those two were doing it: Fury take them all but every one of them knew that they did it and yet no one seemed bothered: not even overzealous Charibert. He sighed and shook his head slowly. He didn’t know if it was sinful but he dared not ask: to feel that way about a close friend. And did he really feel that way about Janlenoux? And if he did… what should he do about it now? Suddenly he had the urge to go out drinking with Ser Grinnaux and Paulecrain and perhaps ask for a little guidance.   
“Alas… there is the punishment…” He sighed and glanced at the ceiling. “Halone guide me… what should I do?” He sighed desperately and stared at the ceiling. “Please… at least show a sign of some kind?” He was startled by the noise when something in the pantry fell. A rat seemed to have tried to get into the jar with blueberries and strawberries left over from the pie yesterday. The jar had fallen, though it had not broken and the berries had come out and rolled around the pantry floor. They were in a mess but they seemed to fit together so perfectly. He stared at them and sighed. Did the blue not remind him of the colour of Janlenoux hair? It was certainly similar. He smiled a little thinking about how Janlenoux had once confessed to baking a hundred of the same pie just so he could get it perfect for Ser Adelphel, but it had never come out as perfect as once when they had made it together. The memory was one of Adelphel’s most precious and whenever he was feeling down it was what his mind went back to. It had been a little messy, not as perfect as Jan’s other pies but it was something they had created together and had so much fun doing it.   
He stood up with a determined look. At least their friendship was worth everything and if there was something more to it then he should be happy to accept those feelings as well but advice was something he still required and he went to search for the other Knights. He would have gone straight to Paulecrain and Grinnaux had he not been aware they were somewhere being punished and he didn’t wish to see it happen. Although, to tell the truth Charibert had given them a horrible and painful punishment, enough to make them very sore and sober last night but at the moment they were being whipped by Ser Hermenost while they planted new seeds for the winter garden. And only Ser Grinnaux, who whined a lot, was getting the physical kind but the mental whipping they received in words was far worse as the former monk quoted Holy Scriptures to them in a clear, loud and merciless voice.   
To his horror the first one he ran into was Ser Charibert though who was sitting by himself in the library reading a book, Adelphel had actually hoped to find Ser Haumeric in there. Perhaps he should have been glad that the hardest one had come first as he was still riding on the positive feeling his decision has created in him. He bowed very humbly.  
“Ser Charibert… I am… in need of your expert guidance. Surely if there is someone who knows matters of the heart it is you.” The oddly beautiful man put his book down and gave him a small smile.  
“Mmm, what is it my child?” Ser Charibert reached to pet the younger man’s head. “Though, if it is a matter of the heart. I do not wish to hear you have gone and fallen in love with a female.” Charibert’s face looked disgusted and Adelphel started to question his own sanity for trying to discuss this with someone like Charibert.   
“It… isn’t a female, Ser Charibert…”  
“Ohh… I feel like I am getting old and a bit slow. It’s Ser Janlenoux you are talking about, is it not?” Ser Charibert purred like a cat and his smile was dangerously similar to the cunning animal as well. Adelphel’s face went extremely red then quite white and he looked like he was about to faint on the spot. “How very curious, everyone thought you two were lovers already. Well, do ask, my dear. I will surely help the young beautiful love between men to blossom.”   
“I… ah… but, Ser Charibert… this… this isn’t right?”  
“Being with women is not right but it’s quite alright if it’s one of your brothers. We are all… almost equal here. Nothing states we cannot love our brothers and I believe we should. Brotherly love is the most beautiful and purest form after all. So please, mine dear boy, you should love your brother Janlenoux with your whole being.” Adelphel looked very surprised and couldn’t hide the excited but innocent smile spreading on his face. He quickly bowed.  
“Thank you, Ser Charibert!”  
The youngest of the twelve knights dashed off almost immediately following those words and took almost three hours just to look for Ser Janlenoux within the Vault but he was nowhere to be found and apparently no one had seen him. The last room he wandered into was Ser Noudenet’s little experiment chamber up in a tower where it had been removed to since it was the safest place for the entire Vault if it blew up, again. There he could also study the stars through a powerful telescope. The room was a mess when Adelphel entered and something was bubbling, there was also an odd smell but he could not immediately spot Ser Noudenet.  
“Ser Noudenet?” A pause to listen. “Are you present, brother?!” He knocked on the side of the wooden door and scanned the room. The floor looked very unsteady and not entirely safe. In one corner there seemed to be a cleared area with a little bed though there was stuff piled on the bed so it was hard to really tell what kind of furniture it was. On it however lay the little Ser Noudenet wrapped up in a blanket. Adelphel had really not been in the room often but did spot a few stuffed toys around the bed and Noudenet was using what looked like a very fat cat for a pillow. Adelphel wasn’t sure if he should have woken him up but suddenly there was a loud noise: similar to a bell ringing but more high pitched and louder. He looked behind him but Noudenet quickly sat up and with an oblivious expression went back to his work desk. It was as if the mage had not even seen him. Adelphel worried a little that the vapours in the room were making the man even more detached from this world and he went to open one of the windows: the only one he could get to at all. Suddenly there was a breeze and fresh air in the room and the vapours were carried outside instead.   
“Guerri?” Noudenet turned and blinked then stared at Adelphel as if not quite understand who he was. “Oh, Ser Adelphel. Usually Ser Guerrique does that when he comes here. He says the smoke is bad for my health. Maybe I should read a book about it since I am not quite sure if such thing has really been studied. Do you think smoke is unhealthy, Ser Adelphel?” He smiled very sweetly and shrugged.   
“Oh, umm… well, actual smoke does make you cough but steam is entirely another thing. It should be more about what it contains… I would imagine, brother.” Ser Adelphel said rubbing the back of his blonde head.  
“Ah! That’s precisely right! Ser Adelphel is clearly far more intelligent than what he looks like. Only foolish people make assumptions and don’t study the facts first.” Then he turned again.   
“Oh, Ser Noudenet, would you happen to know where Ser Janlenoux is?”  
“Mmm, yes, I know where he is.” There was quite a long pause while Ser Noudenet poured something on top of a crystal that started sizzling dangerously.  
“Ser Noudenet… I would like to know where he is.” Ser Adelphel tried again very politely.  
“Oh, it’s good to like things.” He was starting to sound very absent again and Adelphel was worried he was losing him.  
“Please, Ser Noudenet. TELL me where he is!” He cried out in frustration though then coughed. “I mean, please inform me of his whereabouts so I may speak to him.”  
“He went to buy some lightning clusters since I seem to have been out for almost two days. I am in quite a hurry to get some and he said he would be quick.” Noudenet kept on talking for a while despite Adelphel already having left the room but it wasn’t like the young mage noticed much that went on around him. For one he was quite clueless about the accident last night and the punishment that had followed.  
The Jeweled Crozier was filled with people that late in the day and spotting an elezen with a blue hair was not going to be easy, especially when Adelphel was so short. He aimlessly wandered from stall to stall asking about Janlenoux but no one seemed to have seen him. Though suddenly he could smell cooking food in the air and started to follow his nose instead. There was an old woman by the side cooking various nuts in honey and sold them in tiny paper bags. They were quite usual treat for children of not entirely poor families like Adelphel and Janlenoux’ had been. He remembered his mother buying them for him when he had been a child: how happy such simple little things had made him. He was quite sure Janlenoux had similar memories.   
That’s where he spotted the taller man: chatting with the old woman and handing out small bags to the scruffy and dirty looking but very grateful street children around him. He looked rather sad and worn out though. Adelphel was worried he’d run away so he quickly grabbed Janlenoux’ arm.  
“Ser Janlenoux… mine dearest brother… I wish to speak with you.” Though his courage seemed to abandon him under the taller man’s gaze and he lowered his face blushing. “Please forgive me but I do not believe I have done anything wrong. I merely fell asleep with her… because… there is only one person I care for in that way.” He felt Janlenoux suddenly moving and trying to get away but he held onto him tighter. “Only about you, Ser Janlenoux… I feel anything close to romantic love… please forgive me.” He finally let go and bowed his head in shame. His cheeks were burning so hot and his heart beating so fast that he thought he would stop breathing and die any moment.  
“Please excuse us, madam.” Janlenoux voice was oddly calm and suddenly an arm came around the blonde boy’s shoulders. Adelphel looked up at the odd expression on Janlenoux’ face: it looked as if it was impossible for him not to smile. “I think, mine dearest brother, that we must needs have a discussion about this in private immediately, no time to wait.”   
At that hour the dormitory was quiet. The four highest ranking of them had their own private chambers, mostly since no one wanted to share a room with Ser Charibert, and neither with Ser Grinnaux, since he snored, except for Ser Paulecrain who everyone knew slept with him in his room. The rest of them were pretty much stuck in one room with one another and there was little privacy, apart from a flimsy curtain one could draw between the beds. They were not meant to have privacy anyway as it was important that they spend all their time together and became comfortable with each other.   
Janlenoux’ bed was in the corner where he now sat Adelphel on and in an overly romantic gesture kneeled in front of him taking the other paladin’s hands into his. Adelphel blushed but couldn’t quite feel bad about being in such situation at the moment. He had confessed his love after all and was only waiting for Janlenoux to return his feelings.   
“Please tell me you meant what you said outside just now, Ser Adelphel?” The look in the two different coloured eyes, that Adelphel had always found incredibly odd but beautiful like rough cut diamonds, was somewhat desperate but hopeful.   
“I swear, Ser Janlenoux, on the grace of Fury. I am… in love with you my dearest brother and I cannot stray from the path that I have chosen to freely confess it to you. And that is why… I could never with a woman…” His words were cut off, warm hands placed on his cheeks and the other man’s lips touched his. At first the kiss was very slow, innocent and dry but quickly it got bolder and wetter and only when they both ran out of breath they had to pull away from each other.  
“My Adelphel… how I’ve longed to touch you like this. No one else matters in the world: only us. I have always loved you more than is allowed for a brother. I have always watched you and admired you. I have wished to be just as pure as you are. I never wanted to taint you… with these feelings.” Janlenoux climbed on the bed and pulled Adelphel to lie next to him. They merely stared at one another with the strange, newly found feelings, while one could feel elated in simply being in love alone, it is yet a new feeling to find that the one you long for also feels the same way. The face and body before them so very familiar but yet now there was something else, too. Adelphel laid his hand on Ser Janlenoux’ wider chest and felt his muscles with a rather dreamy look.  
“I feel the same way… mine Janlenoux…” The words made him blush, even more it all seemed almost unreal and dreamlike. “I have only ever felt this much for you… sometimes I worry my heart would burst from the way it felt but I… have to confess, I didn’t think it was right, either, but I asked Ser Charibert and he gave us his blessing… so it will be alright, Janlenoux. No one will mind our love: it’s pure and good. I am so happy to know it will not be sinful and dark” Adelphel smiled so brightly that Janlenoux couldn’t help but laugh and pull him into a deep embrace. Then he let go of him again to speak. They both had the utmost need to use all their senses to experience the other: they could not stay quiet and simply touch, they had to hear each other’s voices as well.   
“How brave of you to talk to Ser Charibert of such things. I wish I could be as brave and bold as you, Ser Adelphel.” Janlenoux moved forward a little, closing his eyes and Adelphel pulled their foreheads together while they clasped their fingers through one another’s.   
“Ser Charibert is very righteous but he is not an evil man, we fear and respect him but he isn’t evil.” The innocent blonde smiled lovingly and reached to touch the scar that ran over Janlenoux’s other eye.   
“It reminds me, my beloved brother, his eminence left a gift for me to give to you. But I hid all your presents since I was thinking we’d play a game. How… silly of me… I must confess.” Janlenoux blushed and cast his eyes down. Ser Adelphel’s eyes started shining and he laughed childishly at the idea but then with a smile he only started to babble on about what the others might have given him though did remember to add that the best gift was, of course, to have Janlenoux’ love. They were happy to lay in their bliss until the evening, simply talking about each other, the other Knights or Ishgard, occasionally kissing, hugging and touching, never feeling the need to move further than that but by the time other Knights were coming to bed the two had already disappeared somewhere to be together.


End file.
